Improved ATR-FTIR detection of hydrocarbons in water with semi-crystalline polyolefin coatings on ATR elements.

In situ measurement of hydrocarbons in water is critical for assuring the safety and quality of drinking water and in environmental remediation activities such as the cleanup of oil spills. Thus, effective detection methods of hydrocarbons in aqueous environments are important and several methods have been used for this type of sensing, including spectroscopic techniques, fiber optic sensors, and chromatography. However, under aqueous conditions, small amounts of hydrocarbons are difficult to detect due to their low concentration in water and robust sensing of these types of compounds in an aqueous environment remains a challenging analytical task.

Resistance and Permselectivity of 3D-Printed Micropatterned Anion-Exchange Membranes.

It has been demonstrated that a micropatterned surface can decrease the resistance of anion-exchange membranes (AEMs) and can induce desirable flow properties in devices, such as mixing. Previously, a model that related the resistance of flat and patterned membranes with the same equivalent thickness was proposed, which used the patterned area and thickness ratio of the features to describe the membrane resistance. Here, we explored the validity of the parallel resistance model for a variety of membrane surface designs and area ratios.

Challenges in the development of chronic pulmonary hypertension models in large animals.

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) results in significant morbidity and mortality. Chronic PH animal models may advance the study of PH's mechanisms, evolution, and therapy. In this report, we describe the challenges and successes in developing three models of chronic PH in large animals: two models (one canine and one swine) utilized repeated infusions of ceramic microspheres into the pulmonary vascular bed, and the third model employed a surgical aorto-pulmonary shunt.

Assessment of microRNA and gene dysregulation in pulmonary hypertension by endoarterial biopsy.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) may regulate a number of genes, each of which may have a variety of functions. We utilized an endoarterial biopsy catheter to assess the dysregulation of miRNAs in a porcine shunt model of pulmonary hypertension (PH). Two Yucatan micropigs underwent surgical anastomosis of the left pulmonary artery to the descending aorta.

Vascular histomolecular analysis by sequential endoarterial biopsy in a shunt model of pulmonary hypertension.

The molecular mechanisms of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) remain ill-defined. The aims of this study were to obtain sequential endoarterial biopsy samples in a surgical porcine model of PAH and assess changes in histology and mRNA expression during the disease progression. Differentially expressed genes were then analyzed as potential pharmacological targets.